Seat armrest

ABSTRACT

A seat armrest includes a lower sleeve, an upper sleeve, a driving device, and an adjustable armrest piece. The lower sleeve includes a connecting portion, an inner support portion, and a cover. A stopping device is protruded from the shaft hole towards the axis of the shaft hole. The upper sleeve includes an outer support portion, an opening portion, two slide rails, a partition, and a driven device. The driving device includes a directing frame, a slide plate, a first contact end, and a second contact end. The armrest piece includes a lower slide cover, a slide cover and a press button, which has a release position and a lock position that enables the user to release or lock the driven device and the stopping device, in turn to adjust the height between the inner and outer support portions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a seat armrest, in particular to the seat armrest composed of simplified components and capable of adjusting the using height and the front-and-back distance of the armrest.

2. Description of the Related Art

In general, a chair has a telescopic device installed separately on both sides of the chair to adjust the height of armrests, and users can operate the telescopic devices to adjust the height of placing both hands on the surface of the armrests respectively to enhance the comfort of sitting on the chair.

A conventional seat armrest usually comprises a lower tube, an upper tube sheathed on the lower tube, a hand rail element fixed to the top of the upper tube and having a soft surface, a link rod mechanism with a complicated structure disposed between the upper and lower tubes, and a press button pivotally coupled to the link rod mechanism and exposed from the upper and lower tubes. When a user presses the press button, the link rod mechanism will be operated to release the upper and lower tubes, so that the user can adjust the height between the upper and lower tubes.

However, the structure of the conventional seat armrest involves too many components required in its design and application, and users usually cannot adjust the height of armrest easily, and thus it is necessary to redesign the conventional seat armrest.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, it is a primary objective of the present invention to provide a seat armrest that facilitate users to adjust the using height and the front-and-back distance of the armrest. Another objective of the present invention is to provide a seat armrest with simplified components.

To achieve the foregoing objectives, the present invention provides a seat armrest, comprising: a lower sleeve, including a connecting portion fixed to a seat, an inner support portion extended upwardly from the connecting portion, and a cover detachably installed at the top of the inner support portion and having a shaft hole interconnected with the interior of the inner support portion, and a stopping device protruded from the shaft hole and towards the axis of the shaft hole;

an upper sleeve, including an outer support portion detachably sheathed on an external periphery of the inner support portion, an opening portion disposed around the top of the outer support portion, two side rails disposed at the front and read of an inner periphery of the opening portion, a partition sealing the bottom of the opening portion, and situated at a position lower than the slide rails and having a through hole, and a driven device capable of changing a direction inside the shaft hole, the outer support portion, and the inner support portion;

a driving device, installed at the inner periphery of the opening portion and capable of moving between the slide rails and in an axial direction, and the driving device having a directing frame disposed opposite to the through hole, a slide plate extended from a side of the directing frame and disposed across an interval between the slide rails, a first contact end extended from the slide plate and disposed at an outer periphery of the directing frame for abutting the inner periphery of the opening portion and having at least one upwardly disposed protrusion, and a second contact end disposed opposite to the directing frame and the first contact end, and extended from the slide plate for abutting the inner periphery of the opening portion; and

an armrest piece, including a lower slide cover capable of moving back and forth on the slide rails and being positioned, an upper slide cover installed at a position corresponding to the lower slide cover, and a press button installed between the upper and lower slide covers and linked with the slide plate of the driving device for a user to control the driven device, and the press button having a starting position and an ending position; such that when the press button is retracted to the ending position, the driven device and the stopping device are forced to release from each other and is provided for the user to adjust the height between the inner and outer support portions, and when the press button is returned to the starting position by an elastic force, the driven device and the stopping device are force to latch with each other.

The driven device comprises a long shaft portion having a plurality of blocking edges disposed with an interval apart from one another and capable of latching or releasing the stopping device and moving between the shaft hole and the through hole, a stress portion having a cylindrical body protruded from the center of the top of the long shaft portion, and extended outwardly from the cylindrical body and being maintained to contact with the inner periphery of the directing frame, and a block disposed at the bottom of the long shaft portion for preventing the driving device from being separated from the cover.

The block and the blocking edges are disposed alternately with one another on the long shaft portion.

The slide plate of the driving device includes a groove arranged in the same direction of the slide rails.

The press button includes a press portion clamped on a side of the lower slide cover, and a ]hook portion extended from the press portion to contact with the groove of the slide plate. The lower slide cover includes an opening portion disposed on a side of the lower slide cover for clamping the press portion, and the opening portion including a horizontal entrance for passing the press portion, and a vertical entrance disposed under the horizontal entrance and substantially perpendicular to the horizontal entrance and provided for passing the hook portion.

The lower slide cover includes a rail installed at the bottom of the lower slide cover and provided for guiding the slide rails, a penetrating hole disposed adjacent and interconnected to the rail and provided for the hook portion to hook into the groove, and a plurality of recesses disposed with an interval apart from one another along the rail and using the rail as a boundary from the penetrating hole and provided for being abutted by the at least one protrusion.

The rail has a starting end provided for the slide rails to enter.

The present invention has the following advantages. When the press button is retracted to the ending position, the driven device and the stopping device are forced to release each other for the user to adjust the height between the inner and outer support portions. When the press button is returned to the starting position by the elastic force, the driven device and the stopping device are forced to latch with each other again. Therefore, the lower sleeve and the upper sleeve can be adjusted to provide a height of the seat armrest to fit the user's need. Further, the plurality of recesses is arranged with an interval apart from each other along the rail and separated from the penetrating hole by using the rail as a boundary and provided for being abutted by the at least one protrusion. Therefore, the front-and-back distance of the armrest piece of the seat armrest can be adjusted to fit the user's hand to be placed on the armrest. In addition, a design of the press button is provided to drive the driven device to be latched to or separated from the stopping device so as to achieve the effect of simplifying the components.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial exploded view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing an internal structure of a lower slide cover;

FIG. 2 is the whole exploded view of FIG. 1, showing the structural relation of a lower sleeve, an upper sleeve and an armrest piece;

FIG. 3 is another exploded view as depicted in FIG. 2 and viewed from a different angle, showing the structural relation of a lower sleeve, an upper sleeve and an armrest piece;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a driving device of FIG. 2, showing the detailed structure of the driving device;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a driven device of FIG. 2, showing the detailed structure of the driven device;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 2, showing that an armrest can be moved back and forth on a slide rail and fixed to a position on the slide rail;

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of FIG. 2, showing that a press button is retracted to keep the inner edge of a directing frame to be in contact with a stress portion of a driven device; and

FIG. 8 is a schematic view of FIG. 7, further showing that when the press button is retracted to an ending position, a user can adjust the height between inner and outer support portions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

To make it easier for our examiner to understand the technical characteristics and measures of the present invention to achieve the aforementioned objects and effects, we use preferred embodiments with related drawings for the detailed description of the present invention as follows.

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 5 for a partial exploded view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing an internal structure of a lower slide cover (31); the whole exploded view of FIG. 1, showing the structural relation of a lower sleeve (10), an upper sleeve (20) and an armrest piece (30); another exploded view as depicted in FIG. 2 and viewed from a different angle, showing the structural relation of a lower sleeve (10), an upper sleeve (20) and an armrest piece (30); a perspective view of a driving device of FIG. 2, showing the detailed structure of the driving device (25); a perspective view of a driven device of FIG. 2, showing the detailed structure of the driven device (26) respectively, the seat armrest comprises a lower sleeve (10), an upper sleeve (20), a driving device (25), and an armrest piece (30).

The lower sleeve (10) includes a connecting portion (11) fixed to a seat (not shown in the figure), an inner support portion extended upwardly from the connecting portion (11), and a cover (13) detachably installed at the top of the inner support portion (12) and having a shaft hole (131) interconnected with the interior of the inner support portion (12), and a stopping device (1311) protruded from the shaft hole (131) and towards the axis of the shaft hole (131).

The upper sleeve (20) includes an outer support portion (21) detachably sheathed on an external periphery of the inner support portion (12), an opening portion (22) disposed around the top of the outer support portion (21), two side rails (23) disposed at the front and read of an inner periphery of the opening portion (22), a partition (24) sealing the bottom of the opening portion (22), and situated at a position lower than the slide rails (23) and having a through hole (241), and a driven device (26) capable of changing a direction inside the shaft hole (131), the outer support portion (21), and the inner support portion (12).

The driving device (25) is installed at the inner periphery of the opening portion (22) and capable of moving between the slide rails (23) and in an axial direction, and the driving device (25) has a directing frame (251) disposed opposite to the through hole (241), a slide plate (252) extended from a side of the directing frame (251) and disposed across an interval between the slide rails (23), a first contact end (253) extended from the slide plate (252) and disposed at an outer periphery of the directing frame (251) for abutting the inner periphery of the opening portion (22) and having at least one upwardly disposed protrusion (2531), and a second contact end (254) disposed opposite to the directing frame (251) and the first contact end (253), and extended from the slide plate (252) for abutting the inner periphery of the opening portion (22).

The armrest piece (30) includes a lower slide cover (31) capable of moving back and forth on the slide rails (23) and being positioned, an upper slide cover (32) installed at a position corresponding to the lower slide cover (31), and a press button (33) installed between the upper and lower slide covers (32), (31) and linked with the slide plate (252) of the driving device (25) for a user to control the driven device (26), and the press button (33) has a starting position and an ending position, such that when the press button (33) is retracted the ending position, the driven device (26) and the stopping device (1311) are forced to release from each other and is provided for the user to adjust the height between the inner and outer support portions (12), (21), and when the press button (33) is returned to the starting position by an elastic force, the driven device (26) and the stopping device (1311) are forced to latch with each other again.

The driven device (26) comprises a long shaft portion (261) having a plurality of blocking edges (2611) disposed with an interval apart from one another and capable of latching or releasing the stopping device (1311), and moving between the shaft hole (131) and the through hole (241), a stress portion (262) having a cylindrical body (2621) protruded from the center of the top of the long shaft portion (261) and extended outwardly from cylindrical body (2621) and being maintained to contact with the inner periphery of the directing frame (251), and a block (263) disposed at the bottom of the long shaft portion (261) for preventing the driving device (25) from being separated from the cover (13). The block (263) and the blocking edges (2611) are disposed alternately with one another on the long shaft portion (261). The slide plate (252) of the driving device (25) includes a groove (2521) arranged in the same direction of the slide rails (23).

The press button (33) includes a press portion (331) clamped on a side of the lower slide cover (31), and a hook portion (332) extended from the press portion (331) to contact with the groove (2521) of the slide plate (252).

The lower slide cover (31) includes an opening portion (311) disposed on a side of the lower side cover (31) for clamping the press portion (331), and the opening portion (311) includes a horizontal entrance (3111) for passing the press portion (331) and a vertical entrance (3112) disposed under the horizontal entrance (3111) and substantially perpendicular to the horizontal entrance (3111) and provided for passing the hook portion (332).

The lower slide cover (31) includes a rail (312) installed at the bottom of the lower slide cover (31) and provided for guiding the slide rails (23), a penetrating hole (313) disposed adjacent and interconnected to the rail (312) and provided for the hook portion (332) to hook into the groove (2521), and a plurality of recesses (314) disposed with an interval apart from one another along the rail (312) and using the rail (312) as a boundary from the penetrating hole (313) and provided for being abutted by the at least one protrusion (2531).

The rail (312) has a starting end (3121) for entering the slide rails (23).

With the assembly of the aforementioned components as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 and the embodiments as shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, if it is necessary to adjust the height of the seat armrest, the user simply needs to press the press button (33) to retract it to the ending position, such that the driven device (26) and the stopping device (1311) are forced to release each other and the user can adjust the height between the inner and outer support portions (12), (21). When the press button (33) is returned to the starting position by an elastic force, the driven device (26) and the stopping device (1311) are forced to latch with each other again. Therefore, the height between the lower sleeve (10) and the upper sleeve (20) of the seat armrest can be adjusted conveniently to fit the user's arms.

In addition, the plurality of recesses (314) is arranged with an interval apart from one another along the rail (312) and the rail (312) is used as a boundary from the penetrating hole (313) and provided for being abutted by the at least one protrusion (2531), so that when the at least one protrusion (2531) abuts the recess (314), the front-and-back distance of the armrest piece (30) of the seat armrest can be adjusted conveniently to fit the user's hands.

In addition, a design of the press button (33) is provided for driving the driven device (26) and the stopping device (1311) to be latched and separated from each other, so as to achieve the effect of simplifying the components.

While the invention has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A seat armrest, comprising: a lower sleeve, including a connecting portion fixed to a seat, an inner support portion extended upwardly from the connecting portion, and a cover detachably installed at the top of the inner support portion and having a shaft hole interconnected with the interior of the inner support portion, and a stopping device protruded from the shaft hole and towards the axis of the shaft hole; an upper sleeve, including an outer support portion detachably sheathed on an external periphery of the inner support portion, an opening portion disposed around the top of the outer support portion, two side rails disposed at the front and read of an inner periphery of the opening portion, a partition sealing the bottom of the opening portion, and situated at a position lower than the slide rails and having a through hole, and a driven device capable of changing a direction inside the shaft hole, the outer support portion, and the inner support portion; a driving device, installed at the inner periphery of the opening portion and capable of moving between the slide rails and in an axial direction, and the driving device having a directing frame disposed opposite to the through hole, a slide plate extended from a side of the directing frame and disposed across an interval between the slide rails, a first contact end extended from the slide plate and disposed at an outer periphery of the directing frame for abutting the inner periphery of the opening portion and having at least one upwardly disposed protrusion, and a second contact end disposed opposite to the directing frame and the first contact end, and extended from the slide plate for abutting the inner periphery of the opening portion; and an armrest piece, including a lower slide cover capable of moving back and forth on the slide rails and being positioned, an upper slide cover installed at a position corresponding to the lower slide cover, and a press button installed between the upper and lower slide covers and linked with the slide plate of the driving device for a user to control the driven device, and the press button having a starting position and an ending position; such that when the press button is retracted to the ending position, the driven device and the stopping device are forced to release from each other and is provided for the user to adjust the height between the inner and outer support portions, and when the press button is returned to the starting position by an elastic force, the driven device and the stopping device are force to latch with each other.
 2. The seat armrest of claim 1, wherein the driven device comprises a long shaft portion having a plurality of blocking edges disposed with an interval apart from one another and capable of latching or releasing the stopping device and moving between the shaft hole and the through hole, a stress portion having a cylindrical body protruded from the center of the top of the long shaft portion, and extended outwardly from the cylindrical body and being maintained to contact with the inner periphery of the directing frame, and a block disposed at the bottom of the long shaft portion for preventing the driving device from being separated from the cover.
 3. The seat armrest of claim 2, wherein the block and the blocking edges are disposed alternately with one another on the long shaft portion.
 4. The seat armrest of claim 3, wherein the slide plate of the driving device includes a groove arranged in the same direction of the slide rails.
 5. The seat armrest of claim 4, wherein the press button includes a press portion clamped on a side of the lower slide cover, and a hook portion extended from the press portion to contact with the groove of the slide plate.
 6. The seat armrest of claim 5, wherein the lower slide cover includes an opening portion disposed on a side of the lower slide cover for clamping the press portion, and the opening portion including a horizontal entrance for passing the press portion, and a vertical entrance disposed under the horizontal entrance and substantially perpendicular to the horizontal entrance and provided for passing the hook portion.
 7. The seat armrest of claim 6, wherein the lower slide cover includes a rail installed at the bottom of the lower slide cover and provided for guiding the slide rails, a penetrating hole disposed adjacent and interconnected to the rail and provided for the hook portion to hook into the groove, and a plurality of recesses disposed with an interval apart from one another along the rail and using the rail as a boundary from the penetrating hole and provided for being abutted by the at least one protrusion.
 8. The seat armrest of claim 7, wherein the rail has a starting end provided for the slide rails to enter. 